She points at my goggles, which I slung over my arm. "Do your goggles really help you see in the dark?"
"Yes. I can see everything perfectly with them."
"Really?"
"Yeah. When Andre gets back, do you want to go outside with me and try them on?"
3
Emilia
"Will you keep me safe?" I ask.
Malin's smile falls, and his dimple disappears. His light-gray eyes grow darker. "Yes. Always."
Flutters bounce around in my gut like a pinball in a machine. I don't know why I'm not scurrying away from this man as I usually would.
Because he's smoking hot and ripped like the devil.
That has nothing to do with it.
Because he held me and touched me, and I didn't freak out.
Oh my God. His hands. Men touch me, and my skin crawls. It doesn't matter how good of a person they are or how long I've known them. But my skin buzzed under his hands.
Please touch me again.
What has happened to my brain? I don't know this man.
He just saved me from Santiago and his thugs.
Doesn't mean he's an all-around good person.
Another rescue guy breaks our gaze.
"Malin, take first aid."
"On it," Malin replies, and the man leaves.
"Why don't you sit down and I'll be back soon to check you out."
Heat rises to my cheeks. "Check me out?"
His lips twitch. "Clean out any cuts."
"O-okay."
Stop stuttering around him.
"Have a seat, ma belle. I'll be back." He winks and walks to the corner of the tent where a pile of supplies sit in a crate.
Ma belle. It's the third time he's called me that. I get a throbbing in my lower body every time he says it.
He probably calls all women that.
I sit on the bed and stare at the back of his muscular frame. His camouflage T-shirt strains against his broad shoulders and bulging biceps.
He could crush me without even breaking a sweat with those muscles. I swallow hard, confused about why I feel drawn to him instead of repelled and not one bit concerned that he could hurt me if he wanted to.
When I stare at his ass and thighs, my heart continues to beat faster.
"That's good. I'll hold you to it," a deep voice says and snaps me out of my thoughts.
I turn. The red-haired woman who comforted me when I first got into the pit sits on the other side of the bed. I slide closer. "Penelope."
She turns, tilts her head, and a line forms between her eyebrows. "Hey. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I can't believe we got rescued this quickly."
She smiles. "I'm happy you didn't have to be subjected to those men any longer."
My skin crawls again. I don't know anything about any of these women besides their names and the little bit Naomi told me. But I can't imagine what they have experienced. I lower my voice. "How long were you there?"
"I'm not sure. I was at Santiago's compound for over a year before we got to the pit."
She doesn't know how long she's been with Santiago. "You've been missing eighteen months."
"Eighteen..." She puts her hand over her mouth, and tears fill her green eyes.
I put my arm around her. "I'm sorry. I should be more sensitive about what I say."
"No, it's not that."
I stroke her hair, waiting for her to tell me what is wrong, but not wanting to push her. I've had others demand I tell them things before, and I don't appreciate it when people do that to me, especially strangers.
She sniffles. "Santiago took my daughter. She turned four a few days after he kidnapped us, and they took her, and now she's five and a half. I... I didn't know how long he had me and..." Her body shakes.
She has a daughter. And bad men have her. Oh God. Please don't let them hurt her and especially not how I was abused.
My heart bleeds. The image of a little girl who looks like Penelope forms in my mind, and it tears at every emotion I have. I pull her tighter to me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
She locks eyes with me and firmly says, "Don't say anything to the guys. Please."
"Okay. But why not? Maybe they can help?"
Her voice sounds desperate. "Just...please don't."
"All right. I won't. Promise."
Malin approaches us. "Is everything okay?"
She wipes her face.
"Yes, we're just grateful to be out of the dirt hole," I quickly say.
He kneels, picks up my arm, and my pulse beats quicker. "I'm sorry. I think I didn't protect you enough from the trees."